2025 U SPORTS Swimming Championships Overview
Event Dates: March 6-8, 2025
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Defending Champions:
Women – Toronto (3x)
Men – Toronto (1x)
Competition Schedule
Start Times: Prelims at 9:30 am / Finals at 5:30 pm (ET)
Format: SCM (25 meters)
Meet Central
Live Results on Meet Mobile
Live Stream
Recap of the Championship
The UBC Thunderbirds showcased their prowess, emerging victorious on both the women’s and men’s fronts during the 2025 U Sports Championships held over three intense days of competition. On the final day, the women’s team scored an impressive 1472 points, breaking Toronto’s three-year championship hold, while the men’s team secured first place with 1305.5 points, dethroning the defending champions from Toronto. These triumphs marked the 25th national title for the women and the 19th for the men in UBC’s history.
Star Performers
One of the standout performers was Finlay Knox, an Olympian representing UBC, who added two more gold medals and set U Sports meet records. Knox excelled in the 200 butterfly with a personal best time of 1:53.67, smashing the previous championship record of 1:54.56 set in 2015. His stellar performance also saw him lead the 400 medley relay team to victory alongside Blake Tierney, Wells Ginzer, and Joel Blanco, achieving a time of 3:29.52, which surpassed the previous meet record by .22 seconds.
In women’s events, Kayla Sanchez was nothing short of dominant, collecting seven gold medals and setting two U Sports records over the course of the championships. On the final night, she won the 100 freestyle in 52.48 seconds, just shy of the meet record, and anchored the 400 medley relay, helping her team secure a commanding victory with a time of 3:59.16, well ahead of second-place Calgary.
Additional Highlights
Calgary’s Alexanne Lepage and Hannah Johnsen made significant contributions to their team’s medal tally, with Lepage winning the 50 breaststroke, marking her fourth victory, while Johnsen clinched the title in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:09.94.
Toronto’s Nina Mollin also shone brightly, taking the gold in the 200 fly with a time of 2:13.29, further solidifying her place as a top competitor after having won the 100 fly and 200 IM earlier in the meet.
Awards and Recognitions
Women’s Awards:
– Women’s Athlete of the Meet: Kayla Sanchez, UBC
– Women’s Rookie of the Year: Raphaëlle Tremblay, Laval
– Women’s FOX 40 Coach of the Year: Peter Carpenter, McGill
– Women’s Community Service Award: Marcella Whelan, Memorial
Men’s Awards:
– Men’s Athlete of the Meet: Finlay Knox, UBC
– Men’s Rookie of the Year: Nathan Thomas, Toronto
– Men’s FOX 40 Coach of the Year: Paul Birmingham, Alberta
– Men’s Community Service Award: Erik Leinseisen, McGill
Final Team Standings
Women:
1. UBC – 1472
2. McGill – 936.5
3. Calgary – 920.5
4. Toronto – 708.5
5. Alberta – 366
6. Western – 264
7. Victoria – 231.5
8. Ottawa – 219.5
9. McMaster – 198.5
10. Guelph – 196
(Additional teams and scores omitted for brevity)
Men:
1. UBC – 1305.5
2. Toronto – 1078
3. Calgary – 860
4. McGill – 754.5
5. Alberta – 412
6. Western – 316
7. Victoria – 267.5
8. Ottawa – 260
9. Waterloo – 224
10. Lethbridge – 166.5
(Additional teams and scores omitted for brevity)
